Congress Votes to Censor anti-''War On Drug'' Ads

[Sliverofhope]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 9, 2003

CONTACT: Drug Policy Alliance
Bill Piper [phone]
Tony Newman (510)-812-3126

U.S. House of Reps. Approves Bill to Censor American Citizens from Voicing Opposition to U.S. War on Drugs

WASHINGTON - December 9 - A little-known provision buried within the omnibus federal spending bill that the U.S. House of Representatives approved yesterday would take away federal grants from local and state transportation authorities that allow citizens to run advertising on buses, trains, or subways in support of reforming our nation's drug laws. If enacted, the provision could effectively silence community groups around the country that are using advertising to educate Americans about medical marijuana and other drug policy reforms. Meanwhile, this same bill gives the White House $145 million in taxpayer money to run anti-marijuana ads next year.

"The government can’t spend taxpayer money promoting one side of the drug policy debate while prohibiting taxpayers from using their own money to promote the other side," said Bill Piper, Associate Director of National Affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. "This is censorship and not the democratic way."

The provision raises both constitutional and political concerns. Courts have generally ruled that public transportation authorities cannot legally discriminate against any political viewpoint. Thus, local and state authorities could soon be put in an impossible position: if they reject advertising in support of drug policy reform they risk running afoul of the First Amendment; but if they accept drug reform advertising they lose federal money...

[dajabr]

1. This is bullshit...

Those "fantasyland" scenarios in those ads need to be countered in the strogest fashion possible.

:mad:

[RainDog]

2. wonder when birth control options will be banned?

they've already taken health information off web sites that doesn't conform to ultra right wing ideology.

will be next have to spend taxpayer money to advertise that the earth is flat?

[tlcandie]

3. Not surprising .. yet another drop in the bucket....

either the bucket is about to spill over or else it is been bullet-ridden :P

All these HIDDEN things... :puke: We need a HUGE SPOTLIGHT PLEASE!